


Leo McGarry - Rest In Peace

by everystareverywhere



Category: The West Wing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-18
Updated: 2006-02-18
Packaged: 2019-05-15 23:01:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14799641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everystareverywhere/pseuds/everystareverywhere
Summary: The funeral for Leo.





	Leo McGarry - Rest In Peace

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Leo McGarry – Rest In Peace**

**by:** Joanna 

**Character(s):** Leo McGarry  
**Category(s):** General   
**Rating:** CHILD  
**Summary:** The funeral for Leo.  
**Written:** 2005-12-22  
**Author's Note:** I still can’t get over the fact that we will never see Leo anymore. I pray for those who were effected by this; not only for John’s family and friends, but also for the people who knew him as Leo. For John 

He held onto her hand so tightly, he thought he might break it. But she was holding on just as tightly so one of them was going to walk away with a broken hand, and the way his luck was going, he had a feeling it was going to be him. 

He looked around the church. It was huge, but every last seat was taken. Wall to wall people, people he haven’t seen in years or people he didn’t know. Up front was the President with his wife sitting next to him, and Josh would bet that Abbey was holding his hand just as tightly as Donna was holding on to his. The girls and their husbands sitting in the same row. Sitting behind them was Jenny and Mallory. And not to far away from them was Margate, trying not to cry, but falling miserably. 

He too, tried not to cry, but every so often Donna would hand him a tissue and he would have to blow his nose, but he didn’t want to cry. 

He cried enough when Donna told him. When Donna picked up the phone a second after laughing her head off at something Josh had said. He remembered the look that crossed her face that told him something was never going to be the same again. He remembered that as she hung her she could barely breathe ‘cause she was crying so hard. He remembered the way she looked at him, not even glancing at the other people in the room, and told him that that was George Washington Hospital and that there has been a car accident. He remembered the way she couldn’t control her tears as she told the words he never wanted to hear, “Leo died.” He remembered screaming at her saying that there is no way in hell that Leo died, because Leo was going to be the best damn Vice President this country has ever seen. He remembered that Donna held him so tightly that he couldn’t breathe and how she whispered in his hear, “We’ll get through this.” And he shook his head no, but deep down, he knew she was right. He remembered all those things as he sat three rows back from the casket. 

The priest was reading from the Bible, but Josh wasn’t paying one bit of attention. Leo wasn’t supposed to die; he was supposed to lead Josh on and pick him up when he falls. He was supposed to be working in the White House come November. He was supposed to be there when they pass their first bill. He supposed to be there so he can do the “Cheese Day” speech, that everyone has heard ten thousand times, but right now, Josh would give anything to hear that speech. 

The President stood up to give his speech on Leo. Josh was next. He had to speak about this man, this man that became like his second father. He had no idea what to say. 

The President got to the lectern before coughing a little, and then he began his speech. 

“Leo Thomas McGarry was more than my friend, he was like my brother. We went to each other for everything. Ideas, thoughts on our ideas, and anything else you could think of. I knew him for 47 years and those were the best years of my life. 

“I was always interested in politics, but Leo was the one that got me into running for president. I remember that day, talking to two men, don’t ask me what their names were, when he came in. He said to me that he would like to go back into politics, professional politics, and I was thrilled for him. No one deserved to sit in that Oval Office more than Leo. When I told him that, he said, “Oh, not me,” I asked, very confused, “Well, who than?” He smiled, and I should I have known that I was going to get into something very big when he smiled, but than he smiled and pulled something out of his pocket. He said, “Everywhere I go, everything I see, I think of one phrase,” He licked the back of the napkin he was holding and put it up on the easel. It said, ‘Bartlet for America’ 

“We had a wonderful six and a half years. He had fights, and laughed as we looked down on our children. Not our REAL children well, not always our real children, no the children that helped us get to the White House, and helped us stay there. CJ Cregg, Toby Ziegler, Sam Seaborn, Josh Lyman, Will Bailey, and many more helped make the past 8 years, years I will never forget. 

“Leo, you we a prince among men, and working in politics will never be the same without you.” 

He stepped down as tears rolled down his eyes. It was Josh’s turn, thing was he had no idea what to say. 

He stood, still holding Donna’s hand. He slowly let go as he walked out of the row. He walked to the lectern, lightly touching the casket as he passed it. Inside of it was someone he loved dearly. He knew that Leo was standing in the back with his Dad and sister. He could feel it deep in his heart. 

He got up to the lectern and look at the people below him. There were more people than he thought. More people were standing in the back. He looked around, seeing Congressman after Congressman, Senator after Senator. He saw Congressman Santos and Helen, and he was shocked he didn’t see them before. He saw his mother sitting near the back, and wondered why she wasn’t sitting with him and Donna. He looked down and took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe he was about to give an eulogy to this man. 

“Leo was like my father. My father died during the first campaign, and Leo was there holding me while I cried and sent me to Connecticut as soon as humanly possible. 

“Leo told me to go to the Bartlet campaign. I was working for Hoynes at the time and the last thing I needed was to take sometime off to listen to someone else speak, no offence Mr. President. Anyway I asked him why? Why should I go and listen? He replied, “’Cause that’s what sons do for old friends of their fathers.” I went and I listen, and I was amazed. I was amazed that someone would say “Yeah, I screwed you on that one” I was amazed that someone actually used their freedom of speech for good use. I was amazed and it’s because of Leo. Leo opened my eyes to more things and I was thankful. If it wasn’t for him, I would have gotten the wrong man elected president. 

“Leo and I fought. We fought a lot, especially my last days in the White House. And if I could, I would go back in time to change those things, I really would. But I once heard that with the bad comes the good, so I’ll leave it alone. 

“Leo, you were better than me at a lot of things, but now I won’t hear you say, ‘Son, I’m proud.’ But I know, deep down in my heart, you are. You are proud. 

“Leo, you may be gone from our eyes, but never from our hearts. We’ll miss you everyday, and I’ll think of you every second of everyday and I know wherever you are, you’re smiling down on us.” 

Josh walked down and walked to the casket. He put both hands on it, said a pray that wherever he is, he’ll be with him. Than we walked down the aisle to his seat next to Donna 

Leo will always be with him and everyone else, and that made Josh feel a little bit better. 

THE END


End file.
